Tag: pentecostal

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Bible Preaching

God’s Extraction Plan

Apostolic Life Cathedral | March 17, 2024 | 6:30 PM

Jesus has an initial extraction plan to “seek and to save that which was lost,” and then to extract those He initially extracted (called out) from the sinful world to rise up and be with Him in Heaven.

Text: Acts 2:46-47

(46)  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

(47)  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The word “Church” (ekklesia) means “a calling out.”

The Church then is an assembly of people who have been called out of the sinful world.

We have in this assembly tonight men and women who were responded to the call of Jesus and were extracted and brought into a place of safety – the Church.

80 times “Church” is mentioned in the New Testament

The Church is universal – international. In fact, the last 7 times “Church” is mentioned in the New Testament Jesus is speaking to multiple churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea (Rev. 2-3).

Then we read this passage from John in Revelation 4:1, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”

“Come up hither” is when the church is called out the second time to be with Jesus in Heaven.

Called out to be called up!

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

(50)  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

(51)  Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

(52)  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

(53)  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

(54)  So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

(55)  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

(56)  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

(57)  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(58)  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Called out and called up!

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

(13)  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

(14)  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

(15)  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

(16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

(17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

(18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Called out of the sinful world

Jude 1:21-23, “(21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  (22)  And of some have compassion, making a difference:  (23)  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

  • Some have questions and need to be  convinced by the Spirit and the Word.
  • Others we snatch from Hell’s flames as God delivers them from sin.
  • There are those to whom we show compassion and in a less aggressive manner we see them call out to God and they are saved from Hell as well.
  • You don’t have to be stained by sin to love a sinner to Jesus.
  • Just be intentional in God’s Extraction Plan.

God is intentional in His daily work to save people: “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

  • Intentionality of daily life – don’t become a robot
  • Hebrews 12:1-2, “(1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  (2)  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
  • 1 Jn. 3:8b, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
  • Out intentionality is necessary:
    • Psalms 100:1-5, “(1) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  (2)  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  (3)  Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  (4)  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  (5)  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
    • Isaiah 12:2-3, “(2) Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.  (3)  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

God’s Extraction Plan involves ALL of member of the CHURCH working together:

Kelly Doss:

  1. Homeless man in need of a place to sleep last night.
  2. Ebony let him stay with her.
  3. Anita picked up Ebony and Kelly this morning for Sunday School.
  4. He wept in the car saying he needed a change and family.
  5. Anita told him, “We (ALC) can be your family.”
  6. Bro. Robbins read a verse about being free. Kelly related to it because of his own run-ins with the law.
  7. Bro. Daniel sang a song about being free.
  8. Before she went to teach her class she told him, “Jesus wants to do something for you today. Be willing to lean into that.”
  9. He came to the front and Gary Keesee prayed with him as he repented.
  10. Gary then went to his pew and talked with him about baptism, then took him to the baptistery.
  11. Bishop Harper prayed over Kelly.
  12. I baptized Kelly in the name of the Jesus Christ.
  13. Kelly came out of the water speaking in tongues as he was filled with the Holy Ghost.
  14. Everyone had a separate but necessary part to play in God’s Extraction Plan.

Are you ready?

Luke 12:40, “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

John 14:18, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

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Bible Preaching

It Shall Be Heard – Preston Plemons

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Bible Preaching

Playing the Composition of Life In Another Key – J. T. Pugh

The late J. T. Pugh preaching “Playing the Composition of Life In Another Key.”

https://www.connollymusic.com/stringovation/music-composition-beginners-guide

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jp9sklyjexc1em6/Playing%20the%20Composition%20of%20Life%20In%20Another%20Key.mp3?dl=0

I have always had a high regard for Bro. Pugh’s preaching and depth since the first time I heard him preach.  Then I met the man and all that regard increased. In fact, as a young man, I would often say that I could gauge a young minister’s depth and maturity by what they thought, or said, about Bro. Pugh. Perhaps that was wrong of me, but I must admit that I still think this way.

Listen and let this man’s ministry continue to bless you.

Categories
church history

Pamphlets from Oneness Pentecostal Writers (Part 4)

More pamphlets in my grandparent’s library written by Oneness Pentecostal authors:

Title: The Titles of Jesus Through the Bible 

Author: Robert Bayer

Publisher: Pen-T-Com, Inc. 

Year: 1977

Description: preface by Mark D. Hanby. The pamphlet alphabetically lists the titles and scriptural references attributed to Jesus in the Bible. When you say Jesus. Jesus in every book of the Bible. 

Title: Jehovah-Jesus: The Supreme God

Author: C. Haskell Yadon

Publisher: ? (Possibly Yadon)

Year: 1952

Description: in the preface, Yadon credits an R. D. Weeks who evidently wrote in 1876 about “the truth of GOD IN CHRIST.” Yadon then revised those writings and published this book to set “forth in clearer light our LORD JESUS CHRIST as THE SUPREME GOD, SON OF GOD, and SON OF MAN.”

Title: The Hair Question (REVISED)

Author: Murray E. Burr

Publisher: Pentecostal Writers Association

Year: 1965

Description: a pamphlet outlining the biblical teaching on women’s hair. 

Title: Preaching With Purpose

Author: Paul Dugas

Publisher: Apostolic Book Publishers, PO Box 03956, Portland, OR 97203

Year: 1967

Description: a textbook on sermon preparation. 

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church history

Pamphlets from Oneness Pentecostal Writers (Part 3)

Here are some more pictures of pamphlets written by Oneness Pentecostal / Apostolic writers, which I took at my Grandmother’s home in South Bend, IN several years ago.


I read recently that if you want to change your generation you need to preach, but if you want to change future generations then write.  I’m thankful these authors wrote these pamphlets.

Originally posted on https://thepillarandgroundoftruth.blogspot.com/2012/12/more-pamphlets-from-apostolic-writers.html

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church history

Pamphlets from Oneness Pentecostal Writers (Part 2)

Here is an excellent pamphlet written by the late David F. Gray, entitled “Chart of the Seven Men and the Two Natures the Secret of Victory Over satan and Power with God,” which he wrote and published in 1957.

Read and enjoy!

Title: Chart of the Seven Men and the Two Natures

Author: David F. Gray

Publisher: David F. Gray

Year: 1957

Description: The secret of victory over satan and power with God.

Originally posted on 19 April 2010 on https://thepillarandgroundoftruth.blogspot.com/2010/04/seven-men-and-two-natures-rev-david-f.html

Categories
church history

Pamphlets from Oneness Pentecostal Writers (Part 1)

I spent some time in South Bend, IN at my grandmother’s home (Helen Virginia Kuntzman) back in March 2009.

As is my custom when I’m there, I spent a considerable amount of time in my grandfather’s library looking, reading, and studying his collection.

Edwin Eugene Kuntzman

My grandfather (Pastor E. E. Kuntzman) was an Apostolic preacher and went to his eternal reward many years ago. I treasure the library he left behind and the notes he jotted in books, pamphlets, Bibles, and sermons. They are always a blessing to me and their truths are ageless.

My grandparents have several books and pamphlets written by, or about, some of our early pioneers and proponents of the Oneness Pentecostal message. While I didn’t take pictures of them all, the ones below I read this weekend.

Originally posted on 16 March 2009 on https://thepillarandgroundoftruth.blogspot.com/2009/03/pamphlets-from-oneness-pentecostal.html

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Consider this...

The Gift

“A gift, to be a gift, has to be accepted. Otherwise it lies like a burden between people.”
–Robert Fisher, The Knight In Rusty Armor

I think that we are too casual in explaining the present of the Holy Ghost. Since it is in fact the Spirit of Christ in us, it is no wonder that He would be grieved by those who would not want Him in them. I think of those in the nominal church world who have the same access to the Holy Ghost as all of us in this age of grace and Holy Ghost outpouring, but who merely put it on a shelf and never unwrap it. The gift then lies unwrapped, unaccepted, and a burden.

My first date occurred at a banquet on February 14th, when I was twelve years old. I gave the young lady a present that night, which she accepted. However, later that evening, as she was preparing to go home, I misunderstood something she said. She wanted to go get her present, but I thought that she was saying something else. Consequently, she thought that I was refusing to let her keep the gift. To this day I think she still has little time for me and that event is a burden between two individuals.

LOL!! What a catastrophe!?!?

God is not like that. He not only gives a gift, but He never takes it back and He always knows exactly what we communicate – even when we don’t know how or what to say.

My grandfather began his journey towards God in the late 1940s. He had such an experience in repentance that he received the joy that the Samaritans had in Acts 8, but he had not received the Holy Ghost. His wife then met some Pentecostals and received the Holy Spirit. Grandpa would get upset with her at night because she spoke in tongues before going to bed at night and insisted that he needed more than what he had. It lay as a burden between them. Finally, Grandpa prayed to God and said that he knew he had all that God had for him, but to make his wife happy, would God let him speak in tongues. Instantly, the presence of God that he’d felt since his repentance left him. This was when he knew that God had more for him – it lay as a burden between him and God. He then cried out in repentance for His pride and God filled him with the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues.

Salvation is a gift that unless received in totality will be forfeit no matter who we are. Paul wrote about receiving the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, which is only accessible through Jesus Christ, who is our portion and free gift through grace (Ro. 5:21). Refusal of this gift, in this particular text, results in the refusal of eternal life.

Paul also wrote of the gift he was given charge of by the churches of Macedonia, who gave it to bless the Corinthian church (2 Cor. 8). I imagine that if this gift had been refused that there would have been ought among these two groups.

Unrequited love is often mentioned in literature and even God Himself is mentioned by some as a jilted lover covering His eyes in grief as His Jewish bride rejects Him and He then turns to the Gentiles for succor. I only know that He wept at their obtuseness and they became a people who had eyes but did not see. This rejection of Jesus still lies as a burden between God and the nation of Israel as a whole, but, praise God, Israel did not stumble to fall. I believe that the burden will be lifted when they look on Him whom they pierced and acknowledge Him as Messiah.

We call it the gift of the Holy Ghost and it is, by one man’s estimation, being received by 35,000 people a day throughout the world. Why wouldn’t people want to receive this phenomenon that Christ has paid for with His blood and made available to all people?

Originally posted on 20 March 2008 on https://thepillarandgroundoftruth.blogspot.com/2008/03/gift.html

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Bible Teaching

God’s Masterpiece -G. T. Haywood

The following essay is from a wonderful and revelatory book written by Bishop Garfield Thomas (G.T.) Haywood, who was the Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World from 1925-1931. Haywood was a pioneer of truth and an influential leader of the Oneness Pentecostal movement in the early years of its restoration in North America. I thank God for men of his high caliber.

Garfield Thomas Haywood

God’s Masterpiece [1]

Author: Bishop G. T. Haywood

Man is a threefold creature, consisting of Spirit, soul, and body. All that is visible is the body. Man is the masterpiece of God’s workmanship, and is “wonderfully and fearfully” made. Nothing like him has ever been brought into being.

The body was formed from the dust of the ground. God breathed into his nostrils the breath (spirit) of life, and he became a living soul. The union of the Spirit and the body apparently produced the soul. (Gen 2:7.)

The soul is never separated from the body. It is the seat of affections. It is the subconscious realm of human activity. On it is impressed the desires, or affections gathered by the spirit through the mental realm, and afterwards carried into actions by the body. The soul is to the body what the records are to the phonograph. (See Rom. 1:20.) Whatever is imprinted on the soul will be acted out unconsciously by the body.

When the spirit of man begins to reach out after evil things, evil impressions are stamped upon the soul, thus resulting in evil deeds, wicked works and practices. The Psalmist says man is “estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies.” Psa. 58:3. The soul is often spoken of as the “heart”. (Gen. 6:5; Psa. 51:10; 84:2.)

The preaching of the gospel stirs one’s spirit to seek after righteousness. Though the spirit may be inclined towards righteousness, yet it cannot do the things they desire to do on the account of the soul being, as it were, filled with evil engravings of past affections. Hence there is a struggle between the spirit and the body, because the body is inclined to fulfill deeds recorded on the soul, while the spirit endeavors to perform the works of righteousness. (Rom. 7:9-24.) This is genuine conviction unto god­ly sorrow, working repentance unto salvation.

There is nothing that can remove those evil records engraved upon the soul, or heart, but faith in the blood of Jesus, the Bishop of our souls. The true cry of a penitent spirit is, “0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” “Create in me a clean heart, 0 God; and renew a right spirit within me!” “What must I do to be saved?” When a soul reaches that state he should be taught full faith and obedience in the command of God, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” and God will confirm His word.

When the soul is cleansed the Holy Spirit comes in to help the spirit to place new records on the soul, that the body might perform the will of God, walk­ing in the newness of life. Through the Holy Spirit He will “put My laws in their minds (spirit), and write them upon their hearts” (soul). See John 14:26; 16:13; Heb. 8:10. The mind is the realm of the spirit’s activity, while the heart is the seat of the soul’s affections. Thus by having new records on the soul it becomes as easy for a man to walk and live righteous as it was for him to live wickedly in his former life. Many are cleansed and filled with the Spirit, but fail to get God’s truth hidden, or engraved in their hearts. Psa. 119:11; Hos. 4:6. They need the TRUTH, and not tradition! John 8:32; 17:17.

The modern purchasing plan beautifully illustrates the purpose of spirit, soul, and body, and their final disposition. Whenever an article is purchased the salesman writes out the price, date, and description of the article on two bills at one writing,—an original and a duplicate bill. When the goods are delivered the duplicate goes with the article purchased, while the original is signed and returned to the Company that gave it. Should any question arise over the goods they are returned with the duplicate, which is immediately compared with the original, and judgment is rendered according to the records of the two bills. Thus it is with the spirit, soul and body.

The body is the article of purchase. The spirit and the soul are the two bills,—original and duplicate, respectively. The records of bodily action originate with the spirit, and are duplicated on the soul. When the body is delivered up to death and the grave, the deeds of the body are still imprinted on the soul. The soul and body enter the grave to­gether. (Job 33:18, 22, 28, 30; Psa. 16:10, and Acts 2:27, 31. Psa. 49:14, 15.) But the spirit returns to the God that gave it. (Ecc. 3:21; 12:7; Lu. 23:14, and Acts 2:31; Acts 7:59, 60.) The dead know not anything that is transpiring in this life after their departure, but they do know what is transpiring in the realm wherein they are confined. The spirit of the wicked is tormented by remorse, being conscious of his future destiny. His soul is harassed while sleeping, like a man with wicked, horrible, tormenting dreams, but unable to awake. And when he awakes on the morning of the second resurrection (Rev. 20:10-15), he will awake expecting relief, but will find that his punishment has in reality just begun. (See Luke 16:22-31.)

As for the righteous their spirit departs to be with Christ in Paradise (Phil. 1:23), while the soul is at rest sweetly sleeping in Christ like “one who has folded the drapery of his couch about him and laid down to pleasant dreams.” And in the resurrection morning he “shall be satisfied when he awakes with His likeness.” His spirit and soul will be united in “a glorious body” and shall enter into that realm of life eternal, where there shall be no death, no night, no sleep, no sorrow to break in on the feast of unending joy in the presence of the Lord. (See Psa. 17:15; Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:49-55; 1 Thes. 4:13-17.)

[1] Haywood, G.T. (n.d.). The Finest of the Wheat. “God’s Masterpiece.” Christ Temple Book Store:Indianapolis, IN. Ch. IV. P. 12-15.

[Originally posted on 30 May 2007 at http://thepillarandgroundoftruth.blogspot.com/2007/05/gods-masterpiece.html]

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Consider this...

Revitalization Movements

In the middle of the last century (1900s) Anthony F. C. Wallace, the historian and anthropologist, developed the concept of “Revitalization Movements.” Here are a few of his ideas:

  • A revitalization movement is defined as a deliberate, organized, conscious effort by members of a society to construct a more satisfying culture. Revitalization is thus, from a cultural standpoint, a special kind of culture change phenomenon: the persons involved in the process of revitalization must perceive their culture, or some major areas of it, as a system (whether accurately or not); they must feel that this cultural system is unsatisfactory; and they must innovate not merely discrete items, but a new cultural system, specifying new relationships as well as, in some cases, new traits.
  • …Cultures can change within one generation; and the process…is the revitalization process.
  • The term “revitalization” implies an organismic analogy.
  • “Stress is defined as a condition in which some part, or the whole, of the social organism is threatened with more or less serious damage.”
  • “Messianic Movements” emphasize the participation of a divine savior in human flesh in the mazeway transformation.

The presence of these movements are seen throughout history, and it can even be argued that the Scriptures make reference to language and events that are Revitalistic in nature. For example, Isaiah 30:19-23 (vs. 21, “…the is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left”).

Wallace coined the term “revitalization movements” to explain some particular historical phenomena that have taken place in the past, and according to Wallace, revitalization movements have specific identifiers:

  1. When a culture has reached its lowest point a prophet/statesman will arise to help the people gain what has been lost.
  2. This leader makes a plea and call to return to the conservative and fundamentalist ideas of the past.
  3. The result is the formation of a religious method that renews the culture and continues to grow even after the prophet dies.

Some examples would be:

  • Handsome Lake, the Seneca Prophet (1799), called for an end on reliance of European goods, and a return to traditional ways.
  • Jonathan Edwards preached “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” at a normal tone of voice at a wicked and perverse time in New England and universal repentance erupted in the audience.
  • John Wesley and his methodism was a call to renewed holiness.
  • Jesus Christ formed a new method that hearkened back to some of the principles and spirit of the Old Testament (i.e. Golden Rule) and boldly declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…” (John 14:6) while establishing Himself as the only “divine savior in human flesh.”

Moses reminded the Hebrews of Jehovah’s directive to them concerning their responsibility to Him and their reward for obedience and faithfulness: “Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess” (Deut. 5:32-33).

Unfortunately, Jewish history is rife with stories of their backsliding and falling headlong into idolatry and depravity. They did not cherish their faith, not wholly, which is why the Lord said, “All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people” (Ro. 10:21).

The Old Testament prophets even took pains to draw the backslidden people of the Divided Kingdom back to Jehovah through language that echoes the idea of what Wallace called “a religious revival.” Jeremiah does so with this portion of text: “…stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein” (Jer. 6:16). the problem here was that the call was made for revitalization but the people did not want it. The result for their rebellion was captivity and dispersion.

Thankfully, God had another plan and through His prophets prepared a way out of captivity and a return to Jerusalem for a remnant, who would help to usher in the arrival of the only true Savior of Mankind — Jesus Christ. This God-man divested Himself of His Heavenly glory to manifest Himself in flesh and become the Savior, but even He spoke out when he addressed Jerusalem and said (Matt. 23:37), “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

In today’s society it is vital that we continue to move forward without letting loose of core faith values. This can only take place when each generation of Oneness Pentecostals has a first generation experience, which, I think, will continue the march of revitalization and revival in our movement and the world.

The modern Apostolic Movement is more than a subculture. It is a counter-culture – – a new culture based on the teachings of our Messiah – the Lord Jesus Christ.

SOURCE: http://www.garfield.library.upenn.edu/classics1990/A1990EL74700001.pdf

[Originally posted on 21 July 2007 at http://thepillarandgroundoftruth.blogspot.com/2007/07/fyi-revitalization-movements.html]